THE INTERVIEW. AT WHITE FRANCESCA CASTAGNACCI WINS THE RAMPONI'S PRIZE

Born in Florence, architect, specialized in jewelry and handbags designer now. She is Francesca Castagnacci winner, at White, of the Ramponi’s Prize, now in its second edition. Rewarded by Cavalier Mario Boselli and Andrea Ramponi, son of Alfredo Ramponi who has strongly backed the initiative to support the new talents of an industry, that of fashion, who knows very well as owner of the Italian company leader in apparel and accessories industry as a manufacturer of stones, crystals and laser machining.

Francesca is relaxed on Monday morning when preparing to answer questions for Wait!. << Obviously I'm very excited for the victory of the Ramponi's Prize. I want to thank everyone: Massimiliano Bizzi (founder of White, ed), the staff of White, Ramponi's family, Mario Boselli and the publishing house Nova Libra. I believe that this initiative is the perfect result of the union of patronage and marketing. One day it would be nice to do us >>, explains the Florentine designer.

And buyers were not watching. << We have had excellent feedback both yesterday and on the opening day, meeting with buyers from around the world >>, she continues. This is not surprising for two reasons: the first concerns foreign buyers, especially those from the Asian market, which were found to be 20% more than the previous year and the second, equally important, is that the collection very interesting and colorful, it is a masterpiece of technology, creativity and craftsmanship made in Italy.

Castagnacci has specialized in accessories at Polimoda after the victory with a collection of shoes of a contest, in 2008, organized by the Ferragamo fashion house. Later she decided to found her eponymous brand. << In 2014 I founded my brand thanks to a pilot project: my goal was to bring life to bags and I used the optical fiber to make it >>. The experiment went well, so that immediately after, the designer found the right investor. But there is another important relationship for the creative, one with the producers: << I have a direct relationship with them, I follow with them in the factory every passage leading to the creation of a model, which is the backpack or the goldrake model, a masterpiece of creative engineering >>, enthuses the designer.

But we come to her creations, to bags. From the shopper to clutch, the collection is certainly colored by a summer palette, although colors like black and gold are a constant. But besides the visual aspect, this collection is revealed also to be tactile: On some models the skin was processed and dyed with the aim of giving the hand that touches a raw and impressive effect.

Francesca Castagnacci and her team will be present again at White this September. << In addition to these models we will introduce new ones, in particular a forty-eight hours and a small very particular clutch >>. And then we just have to wait a few months to see what’s coming, more and more creative and innovative.